Article storing and dispensing unit with movably mounted gate

ABSTRACT

A portable storing and dispensing device for disc-like members such as chips, coins, and the like which includes an elongated storage chamber or magazine for holding the disc-like members in stacked relation one on top of the other and having an open end through which the disc-like members are dispensed. A resilient member partially overlies the open end serving to support the members in the magazine and act as a gate to dispense one member at a time as the magazine is pressed onto a supporting surface such as a table top or the like. The resilient member is biased or spring-loaded normally to project outwardly from the open end. The resilient member is reciprocally mounted on the magazine with a cam and a cam surface on respectively one and the other of the magazine and resilient sleeve and arranged such that as the resilient member and magazine are moved relative to one another, the innermost dimension of the resilient member is enlarged sufficiently as to allow a disc of predetermined size to pass therethrough. The opposite end of the magazine is covered with a detachable lid removable for loading the magazine. To load the magazine, a second element is provided which holds a predetermined number of disc-like elements such as chips and is funnel-shaped with a removable cover on each of the two ends. The entire assembly, that is the storing and dispensing device as well as the loading device, may be made of any material such as plastic, metal or the like.

United States Patent Rocheleau ARTICLE STORING AND DISPENSlNG UNIT WITHMOVABLY MOUNTED GATE [76] Inventor: Charles E. Rocheleau, 611 VictoriaSt., Sudbury, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:210,473

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 1, 1971 Canada 114,456

Oct. 21, 1971 Canada 125,740

[52] US. Cl 133/5 A [51] G07d 1/00 [58] Field of Search 221/297, 310,289,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,520,321 8/1950 McDonald133/5 A 3,186,593 6/1965 Miotke 221/297 3,586,210

6/1971 Andamasaris 133/5 A Primary ExaminerStanley H. TollbergAttorney-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A portable storing and dispensingdevice for disc-like members such as chips, coins, and the like whichincludes an elongated storage chamber or magazine for holding thedisc-like members in stacked relation one on top of the other and havingan open end through which the disc-like members are dispensed. Aresilient 7 member partially overlies the open end serving to supportthe members in the magazine and act as a gate to dispense one member ata time as the magazine is pressed onto a supporting surface such as atable top or the like. The resilient member is biased or springloadednormally to project outwardly from the open end. The resilient member isreciprocally mounted on the magazine with a cam and a cam surface onrespectively one and the other of the magazine and resilient sleeve andarranged such that as the resilient member and magazine aremoved'relative to one another, the innermost dimension of the resilientmember is enlarged sufficiently as to allow a disc of predetermined sizeto pass therethrough. The opposite end of the magazine is covered with adetachable lid removable for loading the magazine. To load the magazine,a second element is provided which holds a predetermined number ofdisc-like elements such as chips and is funnel-shaped with a removablecover on each of the two ends. The entire assembly, that is the storingand dispensing device as well as the loading device, may be made of anymaterial such as plastic, metal or the like.

2 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures FHA PATENTEDULT 16 I973 SHEET 10F 3PATENTEDUCT 16 1973 SHEET 2 OF 3 5g. 5. if 524 54 544 57 55 PATENTEDHBI16 ms 3.765429 SHEET 3 OF 3 BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to a dispensing device and moreparticularly a dispenser having a magazine for holding wafer-likearticles in stacked relation and terminating at one end in a dispensingunit which is actuated by movement of the assembly against an object onwhich the article to be dispensed is deposited. The articles are waferor disc-like members such as coins, or discs, normally referred to aschips, used in a commonly known Bingo game placed on a card during use.The terms wafer and "disc" used herein are intended to mean a relativelythin object and which may be of any outline configuration in plan viewbut preferably circular as is the case with coins and Bingo chips.However, they may be rectangular, square or otherwise irregular inoutline configuration. Although the present invention is intended to beused with relatively thin discs such as coins or Bingo chips, theprinciple is applicable to objects of thicker dimension such as nuts,washers, pills and the like or any other article which is of uniformthickness and adapted for stacking in relation one on top of the other.

2. Description of Prior Art Dispensers are known for dispensing coins,but in most all instances, a lever assembly is provided on the containeror magazine for effecting removal of one coin at a time, thus resultingin complcated mechanical mechanisms. The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a small, portable and simpledevice which effectsdispensing of articles held herein by pressing the entire assemblyagainst an object on which the article being dispensed is deposited.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Accordingly, in accordance with the presentinvention, there is provided a portable storing and dispensing devicefor articles such as discs of substantially uniform configuration, i.e.,Bingo chips, washers, coins, nuts, pills or the like, comprising:

a. a longitudinally extending magazine for storing and holding aplurality of similar articles in stacked relation;

b. an opening from said magazine through which said articles in themagazine pass in being dispensed therefrom;

c. a gate movably mounted on said magazine and including a portionnormally projecting to overlie a marginal edge portion of said opening,retaining the articles within the magazine;

d. means moving said gate to an open position in response to pressingthe open end of said deviceagainst a support surface; and

e. spring means returning said gate upon removal of said pressure to agate normally closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the dispensing deviceandcontainer for loading the same, both of which are partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal view of FIG. 1 on an enlargedscale;

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2 as seen from left to right;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, in partial section, of

a further embodiment of a dispensing device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the dispensing I end of thedevice illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical side sectional view of a component in thedispensing head of the device illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the unit illustrated in FIG. 6, andshowing the entire assembly as seen from right to left;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, in partial section, similar to FIG. 4but illustrating a further modification to the dispensing head;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating astill further embodiment; I

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating a modifled unit as usedin the dispensing head illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating-a still furthermodification to a unit which may be substituted for the assembliesillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 10;

FIG. 12 is a side vertical elevational view of a single disc of one typewhich may be dispensed from the assemblies illustrated in the foregoingdrawings;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the disc illustrated in FIG. 12 asviewed from right to left; and

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 but illustrating a differentoutline configuration for the article to be dispensed.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings indetaiL'there is illustrated in FIG. 1', one embodiment, a portabledispensing assembly 10 consisting of a magazine portion 20 and a gateassembly 30 having a movably mounted gate to effect dispensing of asingle article from the magazine upon pressing the dispensing assemblyagainst a generally flat surface such as a table top or the like.Included in FIG. 1 is a loading device 40 which may be used to collector hold articles to be dispensed, and facilitates placing the same inthe magazine of the dispenser 10.

The magazine 10 consists of a tubular body made of metal, plastic or thelike, having respectively opposed open ends 21 and 22. The internalcross-sectional shape of the magazine defined by .an inner wall 23correspondsto the outline plan view configuration of articles to be heldin the magazine, and slightly larger so that the articles may be placedin stacked relation and slide readily through the magazine. It isobvious the cross-sectional configuration may be irregular, for example,square, rectangular, hexagonal or circular depending upon the outlineconfiguration of articles to be dispensed from the magazine in question.The open end 22 of the magazine is covered by a removable cap 24, andupon removal of such cap, articles to be dispensed may be insertedindividually or by use of the device in 40 (or similar device) to placethe articles for dispensing into the magazine.

The gate assembly 30 is located at the open end 21 of the magazine, andincludes a gate assembly consisting of a plurality of members 31 whichproject to overlie the opening 21 serving to hold the articles to bedispensed within the chamber until such time as a dispensing operationis effected. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, themembers 31, which project over the opening, consist of members which areinterconnected by an annular flange 32. Each member 31 has a firstportion 33 which slopes inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of themagazine chamber in a direction away from the open end 21, and anoppositely sloped terminal end portion 34 with such portions beingjoined at an apex 35. The magazine body has a chamfered portion 25extending from the open end 21 and ,the slope of such chamfered endcorresponds generally to the slope of the gate portion 33. The chamferedend 25 and gate portion 33 are effectively a cam and cam follower aswill be seen hereinafter. The gate 31 is held captive on the endof themagazine by a sleeve 36 having a portion of an internal wall 37 held inspaced relation from the outer surface of the magazine body by a furthersleeve 38. The sleeves 36 and 38 are press-fit onto one another with thesleeve 38 being press-fit onto the outer surface of the body of themagazine. The sleeve 36 has an inwardly directed terminal end portion 39which prevents the gate from being removedfrom the magazine. A spacebetween the end portion 39 of the sleeve 36 and an, adjacent end ofsleeve 38 receives the annular flange32 of gate with there beingsufficient room as -to allow the gate to move in a directionlongitudinally of the magazine. The gate members 31 are made of aresilient flexible material, and located with theend portions 34projecting beyond the terminal end 39 of sleeve 36. Pressing the outerends of gate portions 34 against an object causes the entire gateassembly to move to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, and duringsuchlmovement inter-engaging surfaces 25 of the magazine body and flange33 effectively provide a cam and a cam follower moving the apexes 35 ofthe respective gate members 31 outwardly with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the magazine to a po- The sleeve 51 at the oppositeend has an outer circumferentially grooved portion-54 terminating in achamfered end 55 corresponding to the chamfered end 25 in the embodimentshown in FIG. 2. The sleeve 51 adjacent the end opposite to chamfer 55has an outer end portion 56 of larger diameter than the reduced endsection 54. A second sleeve 57, having a central bore extendingtherethrough corresponding in diameter to the portion 56 of sleeve 51 ispress-fit onto the portion 56 holding the same in overlying relationwith respect to the sleeve 51. The space between sleeves 51 and 57provided by reduced section 54 and sleeve 51 receives a resilient andmovable gate dispensing element 60 made of plastic, metal or the likewith spring characteristics. Gate element 60, as seen from FIGS. 6 and7, consists of a cylindrical sleeve portion 61 tapering inwardly at anend portion 62 to a smaller diameter and terminating at such end in aninner, circumferential sition so as not to overlie the open end 21. Inholding the object in a vertical position, a disc will fall by gravitythrough the open gate into a space between the apexes and surfaceagainst which the dispenser has been pressed. The apex 35 is spacedinwardly from the terminal end of device preferably slightly greaterthan the thickness of the object to be dispensed, such that when theobject is released, it assumes a position to the left of the apex. Inlifting the assembly off a supporting surface on which the article to bedispensed is deposited', the spring effect of member 31 causes it toslide to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, to a normally closed gateposition with the apex 35 again assuming a position partially overlyingthe open end to prevent dispensing of further objects until such time asthe unit is pressed against a table top or other type of supportingsurface.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, there is provided a dispensingand storage portable assembly having a magazine 20 closed atone end by aremovable cap 24 and at the other end, by a dispensing gate assembly 50.The gate dispensing assembly consists of a first sleeve 51 having a bore52 extending therethrough corresponding in outline configuration andsize to a bore 20A extending through the body of the magazine and whichprovides a chamber for holding the articles to be dispensed. The sleeve51 has an enlarged counter-bore 53 corresponding substantially indiameter to the outer diameter of the body of the magazine 20 to receivethe same in a press-fit relation, the sleeve 51 thus being held on thebody of the magazine.

edge 63 corresponding to the apex 35 illustrated in FIG. 2 and describedwith reference thereto. The edge 63 is spaced inwardly from an adjacentend 64 of the element 60 by an amount corresponding to slightly morethan the thickness of an article to be dispensed from the magazine whenheld in stacked, flatwise relation, one on another in the magazine. Inthe space between the end 64 and the portion 63, there is acircumferential wall designated 65 'having a diameter of greater extentthan the portion 63, such diameter also being slightly greater than thearticle to be dispensed so that the article is readily removabletherefrom after having been dispensed, leaving the article upon thesurface on which the assembly has been pressed after a dispensingoperation.

In an actual device constructed, satisfactory results have been obtainedin dispensing wafers or Bingo chips having a diameter of nineteenthirty-seconds inches and a thickness of 0.040 inches using the diameterfor 63 roughly 0.020 inches less than the diameter of the chip and adiameter for 65 approximately 0.025 inches greater than the diameter ofthe chip and a distance between 64 and 63 approximately 0.015 inchesgreater than the thickness of the chip.

The member 63 has a plurality of slots 66 extending inwardly from theend 64 in a direction toward the opposite end, thereby providinginterruptions in the continuity of the circumferential inner edge 63. Asseen from FIG. 7, the slots 66 separate the circumferential edge 63 intoportions 63A, 63B, 63C, 63D. The portion 62 of element 60 has a slope ofapproximately 30, corresponding to the slope of chamfered end section55.

The gate member 60 is held captive between the sleeves 57 and 5l and isbiased to a position illustrated in FIG. 5 by a coil spring 70 engaging,at one end, a shoulder 54A between the reduced section 54 and outersurface 56 of the sleeve 51 and, at the other end, a washer 71interposed between the spring and the gate member 60. To limit theextent of movement to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, it will be notedsleeve 57 is undercut on the inner surface from right to left providinga shoulder 57A engageable with the washer 71.

The gate member 60 is not removable to the left as viewed in FIG. 5 byvirtue of an inwardly turned end 573 of the sleeve 57.

From the foregoing, it will be evident the gate member 60 isreciprocally mounted on the magazine at one end thereof for movement ina direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine and isresiliently biased to a position to project beyond the remainder of thedispenser, at which location the edge 63 projects to overlie an open endof the magazine, thus holding articles stacked therein. Pressing the end64 of gate member 60 against an object such as a table top causes thegate member 60 to retract into the space between the sleeves 57 and 51,and at the same time, by virtue of inter-engagement of the cam followerand cam respectively on the inner face of flange 62 which has a slope ofapproximately and a corresponding slope on the outer chamfered end ofthe sleeve, the ledge or ridge 63 is moved outwardly so as to increasethe diameter of the opening, allowing an article to pass therethrough.The gate member 60, accordingly, must be resilient so as to permitexpansion and such expansion, of

' course, is facilitated by the use of notches 66 extending inwardlyfrom the end 64 at various peripheral positions spaced from one anothercircumferentially around the gate element 60. The gate element ispreferably made of plastic, but this need not be so as metal with springcharacteristics will effect the same result.

In FIG. 8, there is illustrated a modified gate assembly wherein theelement 60 is held captive by a rubber or other spring-material sleeve81, eliminating the need of a spring 70 as shown in FIG. 5. The sleeve81 provides the spring'characteristic biasing the gate element, as inFIG. 5, to a gate-closed position. The sleeve 81, although preferably ofrubber or other stretchable elastic material, may be replaced by acompression coil spring which snugly engages the outer surface of eachof the sleeves 51 and gate element 60.

In FIG. 9, there is illustrated a further alternative em bodimenteliminating the need of an outer sleeve. In reference to FIG. 9, thereis illustrated a modified gate assembly consisting ofa movabledispensing gate element of resilient elastic material having an end 64,an internal end circumferential groove 65 and a ridge 63 projecting overan open end of the magazine chamber. The gate element 100 has aninternal, circumferential rib 101 projecting into a circumferentialgroove 102 in the outer surface ofa body 103 providing a magazine forarticles to be dispensed. The magazine body, from adjacent the groove102 to the end, has a chamfered outer surface 104 engageable with acorrespondingly sloped inner wall surface 105 of the element 100. Theelement 100 and body 103 are each preferably made of a plastic materialhaving substantially frictionless engaging surfaces 104 and 105, suchthat the elasticity of the outer member 100 causes it to remain in agate closed position and biased to that same position as illustrated inFIG. 9. The rib 101, fitting into the groove 102, limits thelongitudinal movement of the member at each of opposite directions of agate open and gate-closed position. As in the previous embodiments, theelement 100 preferably includes inwardly extending grooves 106 spacedfrom one another circumferentially around the opening.

In each of the foregoing embodiments, the gate element, which is movablelongitudinally along the magazine, is a single one-piece element, and inFIG. 11, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment made of rigidsections held together by an annular spring member, as for example, acoil spring or elastic sleeve 121. FIG. 11 is an end elevational viewtaken, as for example, from right to left in FIG. 6, differing therefromin that the individual sections 120 areprovided by extending groove 66in FIG. 6 fully to the right, separating the one section from the other.In such an embodiment, the elements 120 may be made of a rigid metalwithout elastic characteristics, but in order to provide the movementnecessary for opening and closing the gate, the elastic characteristicis provided by a separate element 121. I

In the foregoing, it is mentioned elements to be dispensed may be ofvarious configurations, and in FIGS. 12 and 13, there is illustrated adisc used in the game of Bingo. Alternatively, the element illustratedin FIGS. 12 and 13 may be coins, pills or the like. As anotheralternative, in FIG. 14, there is illustrated the outline configurationof a hexagonal nut. Elements of uniform configuration which are definedhere generally as discs, wafers or the like, are held in stackedrelation within the magazine, said magazine having a cross-sectionalconfiguration corresponding generally to the outline configuration 'ofthe articles to be dispensed. The articles are dispensed one at a timeby pressing the entire assembly, as previously mentioned, against atable top, causing relative movement between the gate elementreciprocally mounted on the magazine and the magazine such as to movethe gate to an open position allowing one article to be dispensed. Thegate is biased to a gate-closed position, and has an area for receivinga single dispensed article, such dispensed article retaining theremaining articles in position until such time as the gate closes duringremoval'of the dispensing device from the surface engaged duringdispensing.

In order to place the articles to be dispensed within the chamber, thereis provided a loading device 40 consisting of a funnel-shaped body 41having respectively open ends 42 and 43 closed by removable caps 44 and45. The loading device 40 is filled by removing the cap 45 and placingchips or disc's therein, the funnel shape facilitating aligning the samein stacked relation. After the loading device is filled, cap 45 isplaced over the open end 43, and cap 44 is removed from the opposite endand held in mating relation with the open end 22 of the magazine.

I claim:

l. A portable storing and dispensing device for articles of uniformconfiguration such as coins, Bingo chips, pills, or the like,comprising:

a. a longitudinally extending first sleeve providing a magazine forstoring and holding a plurality of similar articles of substantiallyuniform configuration in stacked relation;

b. a first open end and a second open end respectively at opposite endsof the sleeve and providing respectively means for inserting articles tobe dispensed into the magazine and an opening through which sucharticles move while being dispensed;

c. a gate comprising a second sleeve reciprocally mounted on said firstsleeve for movement within limits in a direction parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said second sleeve and circumscribing said secondend thereof, said second sleeve having circumferentially spaced apartportions formed integrally therewith normally projecting in overlyingrelation with respect to the open end, retaining said articles withinthe magazine'by engaging the article adjacent thereto;

(1. means for opening said gate to dispense an article from the magazinecomprising a chamfered outer edge surface on said-first sleeve adjacentsaid second end and a correspondingly shaped inner surface on saidsecond sleeve slidably'engaging said chamfered end; and

. an opening in said second sleeve for receiving the dispensed article,said opening corresponding substantially in dimension to a singlearticle to be dispensed but slightly larger than the same and locatedinthe portion of said second sleeve which tially around the sleeve.

1. A portable storing and dispensing device for articles of uniformconfiguration such as coins, Bingo chips, pills, or the like,comprising: a. a longitudinally extending first sleeve providing amagazine for storing and holding a plurality of similar articles ofsubstantially uniform configuration in stacked relation; b. a first openend and a second open end respectively at opposite ends of the sleeveand providing respectively means for inserting articles to be dispensedinto the magazine and an opening through which such articles move whilebeing dispensed; c. a gate comprising a second sleeve reciprocallymounted on said first sleeve for movement within limits in a directionparallel to the longitudinal axis of said second sleeve andcircumscribing said second end thereof, said second sleeve havingcircumferentially spaced apart portions formed integrally therewithnormally projecting in overlying relation with respect to the open end,retaining said articles within the magazine by engaging the articleadjacent thereto; d. means for opening said gate to dispense an articlefrom the magazine comprising a chamfered outer edge surface on saidfirst sleeve adjacent said second end and a correspondingly shaped innersurface on said second sleeve slidably engaging said chamfered end andand a correspondingly shaped inner surface on said second sleeveslidably engaging said chamfered end; and e. an opening in said secondsleeve for receiving the dispensed article, said opening correspondingsubstantially in dimension to a single article to be dispensed butslightly larger than the same and located in the portion of said secondsleeve which normally projects beyond the magazine.
 2. A dispensingdevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said second sleeve has a pluralityof notches extending inwardly from the end thereof which projects fromthe magazine, said notches extending longitudinally of the sleeve andspaced apart from one another circumferentially around the sleeve.